Trying my hand at a short story involving a burly bull druid and his ranger companion clearing out a camp full of marauders with video game mechanics mixed in.






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Bron's gold nose ring was sent jingling from a a disgruntled snort. The scene below him was an unsavory sight and confirmed his fears. The peaceful village of Eldenbrook was razed to the ground and it's new occupants were enroaching in the wilds he protected. Gruff looking furs of all manner of species were adorned in leather armors and gnarly weapons. Every one of them were burly muscled brutes but softer in the middle. no doubt fattened with the previous residents of the little town.

"bandits. It's always bandits..."

Bron's attention shifted to a fluttering blue creature that crested the cliff's edge and darted about before him until the bull offered an outstretched finger for the little jay to perch. It then proceded to to whistle and chirp with more energy than its diminutive body could possibly muster.

Bron's horns dipped in acknowledgment and his little scout took off with a batting of wings.
"Did you catch all that?" The massive bull turned to his jaguar companion, the lithe feline too occupied with his weapon to be listening intently.

"Something, Something, a lot of baddies. You know I'm not as fluent in animal speech as you."
The purple furred cat gave an experimental tug on his bow string to test its tension.
"Are there enough for us to handle alone or are you bringing friends?"

The bull scratched his bare belly in thought, each raking of fingers sending thick layers of chub wobbling.
"I'll call for friends. It should be easy enough to clear the town but I'll be less tempted to uh, heh...over indulge."
The decision was finalized with a hearty slap that created ripples through the wide expanse.

The lean ranger scoffs in disbelief as a curved claw finds its way into a roll of pudge spilling over Bron's trousers. the poor garment was struggling to maintain decency.
"Friends or no you'll still be pinned to the floor after all this. If I'm wrong I owe you a night of good ale."

The bull was beaming. It took several to amount for a good time in a tavern so that's quite a lofty wager.
"Deal!"

Bron steadied himself and focused his will into the world around him. Green mana wreathed his hands as thick fingers danced in the wind to channel his druidic spell. The bovine's chest swelled with an intake of air before he vented it all through cupped hands framing his muzzle to produce a sound no bovine could ever create on their own: the dreadful howl of a lone wolf. Bron relaxed as the energy he wielded dispersed. Not a moment later a distant pack answered his call.
"You ready, Rem?"

The cat in question slung a full quiver of arrows over one shoulder and a well oiled long bow over the other before pulling up his mottled green cowl. the choice in color was a stark contrast to the dark rosettes left exposed by his tunic but once the feline was in foliage he was practically invisible.

Remmy gave a curt nod and followed his wide hipped companion to a lone towering oak stationed at the center of the peninsula they stood. Bron placed an outstretched hand on it's massive trunk and bowed his head, silenly asking for passage. Permission was granted as the iron like bark gave under his palm allowing the burly bull to step through the obstacle as easily as if it were air. The purple jaguar was right behind Bron's tufted whip of a tail as it sank into the intangible bark and the duo found themselves in a denser gathering of trees that enshrouds the little town they were observing.

A twinge of vertigo had the sure footed cat stumbling. Tree walking was by far the quickest means of travel but it's a sensation he'll never get used too unlike his blundering companion. The twisted and winding paths created by the flora never phase the druid much. A strong arm reached out to offer support.

"Easy there, Kitten."

Remmy swatted the helping hand away with a snarky grumble.
"You know I hate that."

The brawny bull chortled with amusement and let the angsty cat orient himself.
"Why do you think I say it?"

Remmy flashed him a half hearten glare.
"I'll see how many I can take out quietly before they raise the alarm. Once all eyes are on me then you can flank them with the cavalry."

Bron nonchalantly stretched his back as tall as it would go, thrusting out his chubby center in the process. He relaxes with a grunt as thick digits returned once more to scratch at his belly, empty and growling with impatience.
"Yeah yeah, I'm on it. No promises on waiting for an alarm if you're out having all the fun though."
They parted ways with Remmy lopping towards the north while Bron circles around to the south.

The ranger was a shadow in the canopy flitting from branch to branch with barely a rustle of leaves in between. The forest was his playground for training and exercise so the intertwining limbs in the verdant sea of oaks were a catwalk to stay high above the forest floor. The jaguar slowed his pace when a conversation caught his ear. His slitted pupils were glued to the ground sifting through leaves and twigs until they found the source: A wolf and a grizzled rabbit in similar attire belonging to the Hell Bearers.

"Being on patrol is so damn boring!"
his complaint was interrupted by a low rumbling growl.
"And i'm starved"
The portly wolf leered down at his companion and let a slobbery tongue lap over his fangs.

"Get a single drop of drool on me and I'll gut you like a trout, Flea Bag!."
A squat bun had a hand on his scimitar hilt and judging from his many scars he's had his fair share skirmishes. A belt of carnivore teeth said he probably won most.

The wolf barked with laughter and promptly dried his muzzle with a grimy arm.
"Oh relax Luciaus! You're one of the few worth more to me than just being a layer of insulation so don't go getting your ears in a knot."

The rabbit wasn't amused in the least as he relaxed a little and halted his pace to let the plump dog get ahead.
"What a great honor you've given me"
Luciaus rolls his eyes and goes to take a step forward but winces. a quick swat dislodges the small dark that struck him in the neck.
"What the?"
The gritty lagamorph tensed and groaned as a new status appeared above him: Poisoned. A deep gurgling roar issued from his slim middle when a second status appeared not a second later: Starving. All coherent thoughts were flooded with a single primal desire to feed on whatever calorie dense food he could get his hands on and right now the only thing in sight was a well fattened mutt.

Heavy steps slowed in their waddling and turned the wolf around.
"what's the hold u-AHH!"
The distressed syllable was barely off his lips before a frenzied rabbit was upon him. It shouldn't have been so easy to happen. The carnivorous bandit was two heads taller and weighed nearly three times as much but his sheer mass proved no hindrance to glutinous avarice. A final swallow sealed one bandit inside another,

Remmy was sprawled out on his perch, leisurely and without fear of being spotted, with his muzzle split into a Cheshire Cat smile. The scene below him played out step by step in accordance to his plan. It was just too perfect.

Luciaus huffed a pained moan as a green endurance bar appeared over the dirty blond mound he was now attached too. Little by little the gauge depleted with each violent struggle bulging out his hide.
"Nggghh, what...just happened?"

A jaguar landed deftly before him with a fanged grin, all too happy to explain.
"bramble Wasp venom, very tricky to harvest. With one false move you'll be fattening yourself up into the perfect meal for the giant insects."
He regarded the overstuffed rabbit with an amused purr.
"But you can't deny it's effectiveness for killing two birds so to speak"
Remmy strutted down the path leaving the immobilized bun to finish depleting that endurance gauge.
"Enjoy your feast little rabbit."

Luciaus snarled with frustration. The frantic wolf in his gut will wreck havoc on his figure but the poison coursing through his system would'nt allow a gag reflex to take effect. The dog was as good as gurgled and he was very verbal at being opposed.

"Grrrr, OH SHUT UP IN THERE!"
The command was followed by a long rolling belch. Each second the fetid gale was sustained took off minutes worth of endurance. The bar went from Green, to yellow, to red. Luciaus closed his maw for there was no air left to vent when the depleted bar turned into a blip of text floating away from the noisy mound and was accompanied by a little skull icon. 'Wolvar has feinted.'

The swollen belly of the rabbit went still as it played a symphony of digestion to convert its meal into nothing but sludge and eventually more rabbit. With this much wolf, he was really going to be a plus sized bunny.